Chocolate and salt are such a beautifully delicious combination. Add some caramel and walnuts and you have one amazing “turtle” chocolate.

Caramel clusters from John Kelly Chocolates

Remember pop rocks? The fizzy candy you used to eat as a kid? Introducing a very grown up version from Francois Payard: pop rock truffles.

Pop rock truffles from Francois Payard

A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E. That’s all I can say about these cinnamon marshmallows from Whimsy & Spice.

heart-shaped cinnamon marshmallows

My personal favorite? Chocolate-covered strawberries – a classic that never goes out of style! Add a glass of champagne and …. YUM!

Chocolate-covered strawberries from Dean & Deluca

That being said, any excuse to sample a culinary ritual connected with a sport — even if it is tennis — is always welcome in my book. And so the tradition of eating strawberries and cream while watching Wimbledon is one I am currently embracing.

Strawberries and tennis both mark the arrival of summer and it was the seasonality of the luscious red fruit that first connected it to Wimbledon. As Audrey Snell, a librarian at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, describes, “Strawberries were normally available only at that time of year,” said Ms. Snell. “When the championships started in the late 1800′s, it was a fashionable thing to eat. The appearance of strawberries just happened to coincide with the event.”

Still as fashionable today, strawberries with Double Cream remains the traditional treat served at Wimbledon.

Strawberries and Cream at Wimbledon

I think an interesting alternative accompaniment for strawberries is sour cream and brown sugar. Roll a fresh whole strawberry in sour cream and then dip it in brown sugar. It may sound horrid, but I promise it is divine.

And don’t forget the old standby, chocolate covered strawberries (a weakness of mine). We made these for a recent party at our house.

milk-chocolate covered strawberries with white chocolate drizzle

As summer rolls on, I am certain I’ll follow this with additional posts about strawberries. Until then, for other Summer Berry recipes, check out this recent Times Online article. (I’m intrigued by the Summer Strawberry Salad with Champagne Granita).